Credits: IMAGO Marco Canoniero

Max Verstappen did not start the 2024 Spanish GP on pole last Sunday, but he still managed to win the race. The odds were against the Dutchman as Lando Norris, who started P1, seemed to have a quicker car. Since Verstappen managed to pull a win out of the hat despite not being the favorite, former F1 driver Pedro de La Rosa claims that the 26-year-old is at his best when he doesn’t get the pole position.

While speaking on the most recent episode of the F1 Nation Podcast, the Spanish expert stated, “The reality is that when Max had to be aggressive, when Max had to play his cards, he did it. And after that, he just had to manage the race as much as possible“.

Without Verstappen, Red Bull wouldn’t have won the Spanish GP, he further adds. The 53-year-old said, “Max is a fantastic guy when he starts on pole position. But, possibly a stronger driver when he is not in pole position“.

Initially, George Russell took the lead at the Spanish GP but Verstappen pulled off a crucial overtake just a lap later. From thereon, he managed the race brilliantly.

De La Rosa then concluded his remarks by explaining why Verstappen will most likely be prouder of his win in Barcelona this past weekend than all the other races he has won by a margin of over 30+ seconds. The Spaniard believes that Verstappen will realize that he is the differential in these tight races.

On the other hand, it is pertinent to note that Verstappen’s task of winning the race was made much easier because of Norris’ poor start.

Tom Clarkson explains how Lando Norris’ mistake helped Max Verstappen

During the same podcast, host Tom Clarkson explained how Norris could have stayed on the racing line to defend his position better against both Verstappen and a charging Russell, who managed to overtake both his compatriot and the Dutchman into turn 1. De La Rosa too, agreed with Clarkson’s assessment but believes it is easier said than done.

The Spaniard believes that since F1 drivers have seconds to make decisions, they usually go after their instincts. Therefore, Norris was likely focusing on Verstappen, who he thought was the bigger threat. As such, the door was left wide open for Russell to overtake them both.

While Norris admitted that he lost the race because of his start, De La Rosa believes that the McLaren driver cannot be too hard on himself. If there was a fight between him, Russell, and Verstappen, he would have chosen to focus on the Red Bull driver himself.